A new program led by child health experts in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine aims to increase access to pediatric mental health services in Iowa—especially in the state’s medically underserved and rural communities. This program will be in collaboration with colleagues in the UI College of Education and primary care and mental health providers around the state.
Awarded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HSS) received a $2.25 million grant to expand the mental health care capabilities serving Iowa’s youth.
The following excerpt is from the Carver College of Medicine article:
Collaboration with the UI Scanlan Center for School Mental Health, based in the UI College of Education, also will be key. Along with training opportunities for Scanlan Center staff, the Iowa Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program will support a Scanlan Center clinician who will provide individual and group therapy as well as mental health support for students following a crisis event at their schools.
The grant will also extend an existing contract between the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and WellTrack Connect, an online referral platform to help individuals seeking mental health services connect with mental health providers in their community or over telehealth. Scanlan Center staff has worked with WellTrack Connect to build a statewide network of providers to increase access to care, including rural areas where access is limited.
Expanding mental health services for Iowa’s young people, especially in school settings, is critical, says Alissa Doobay, PhD, clinical associate professor of counseling psychology in the UI College of Education and director of clinical services at the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health.